Juergen Hannappel wrote...
Danny Boy writes:

[...]

I heard of ironwood, lignum vitae, but not the other exotic woods
listed by Doug. Didn't LV used to be used for ball bearings in old
steam paddle boats?

It is. See http://www.cropp-timber.com/eng/pockholzmain.htm


Bushings or bearings, though, not "ball bearings."

Jim